Lorne walks the perimeter of the camp and does not find any immediate threats but he does find some tracks from a sizable creature with four fingered talons, three facing forward, one back. Aayla takes a look at the ship, and finds green spots of moss on the landing struts of the Longhorn, worrying that this must be the fast growing moss they heard rumours about, she jury-riggs a flamethrower to clear it off in the morning. Lorne returns to the ship to find that Picus has set up a small heat lamp surrounded by logs for seating, MN is in the process of putting up a dome shaped tent and spraying the area of some sort of chemical moss spore cleansing agent (mildly corrosive). Lorne tells Picus about the tracks and he asks to be shown them, Lorne obliges, Picus identifies them as Spine Rapka tracks, he says they are tenacious pack hunters and that is not the one your see that kills you but the two others flanking you, that you don't see, that get you.
Picus and Lorne return to Picus's camp site. When Lorne asks him if he's going to sleep in the ship he says that "He values being out under the sky and taking in the night air and getting used to the sounds and feel of the jungle. He plans to have one last drink under the night sky before heading out to claim his prize in the morning. He invites the crew to join him, in the end only Jorus and Val (aka Luka) take him up on the offer. Over glasses of some fermented excretion of a sea slug imported across the Galaxy from Mon Cala they talk. Val is concerned that Picus will want to talk further about Chibivaa, and perhaps he does, but Val deftly guides the conversation away from that and Picus spends much of the time talking about hunting, he tells tales of his greatest exploits, he is especially proud of his successful hunt against a Nydak, currently gilded and mounted on the Trophy wall of greatest prizes at the Hunters Consociation, he talks about hunting a Tuga a large cat like Dinoahan jungle predator and says that this trophy from his current hunt will be his greatest success yet out shining other members of the society. The drink loosens Jorus's tongue a little and he talks about hunting storm troopers on Yzar. Although he says it doesn't sound as much fun, Picus confesses that if he felt he had another path in life he wound have most certainly ended up an adventurous starship captain, Jorus and Val aren't so sure. The three toast to Picus's upcoming success in the hunt and then decide to go to bed. Before they do a very tired Tsubatchcark falls asleep on the log Val is sitting on and Val manages to pick up the little fluffy creature and put it in his lap. He feels the beating heart of the small vulnerable creature that like him has been separated from it's parents and must make it's own way in the world.
Aayla takes first watch, Jorus and Val retire and Val leaves the cargo ramp down as requested by Picus.
Aaylas's watch passes without incident and she is relived by Val. During his watch Val spots four groups of person sized, or larger, life signs making their way towards the ship from the four different directions, in front behind and two the left and right of the ship. They are just outside the range of the ships sensor alarm rigged by Jorus. Val uses the internal tannoy to wake the rest of the crew but Aayla is fast asleep and doesn't wake despite the commotion. Jorus goes to the cargo hold to check on Picus, he can see MN powered down out by the tent , he venters out to the end of the cargo ramp and throws a rock an MN to get his attention. MN powers up and makes startled beeps. Jorus silently conveys to the droid that some sort of threat is closing in. Picus wakes up and opens the tent flap, dressed in jungle camo pyjamas and a lounge robe (also cameo print) he is just about to ask what is going on when two Dinoahan Spine Rapka's flank the tent from both sides. Picus flees to the cargo bay as fast as his slipperd feet will carry him, Lorne who has come to check on Jorus enters the cargo bay with spear and shield in hand, one of the Rapkas chases Picus in to the cargo bay as Jorus smashes the button to close the bay ramp, trapping the Rapka in the bay, but trapping it in with Lorne. Lorne and the Rapka battle, Lorne gets a sold strike with his shard glass spear, the creature makes trilling noises as it attacks trying to get its powerful neck and sharp jaws around the shields whilst clawing with it's small front talons. And one of it's two powerful legs.
In the Cockpit Val sees something move in the thick underbrush of the jungle floor, he powers up the forward lasers. Aayla finally woken by the sounds of the struggle in the Cargo bay wakes up and rushes to the cockpit.
In the Cargo hold Lorne deflects a blow from the Rapka with his shard glass shield and uses the serrated edge to slam it against the rear cargo bay door. With practiced marshal skill he drives the serrated edge of the shield into the creatures throat killing it. It slides down the cargo bay door bleeding on the metal floor.
In the cockpit Aayla and Lorne see the sensor signals retreat into the thick jungle. Picus asks for MN to be let in and then decides, that actually, yes, perhaps it would be best to sleep in the cabin on the ship. The crew return to watch or to sleep. Jorus gets the last watch. Just before dawn he is joined in the cockpit by Picus who gives him the first half of their payment. During the predawn light Jorus sees Picus with vibrochete in hand head into the jungle accomponed by MN pulling a small repulsor sled with a couple of equipment crates strapped to it. Now all that remains is to wait for Picus's return.
During the following day Jorus sits outside in the jungle and enjoys the ambience in comfortable fold out chair.
Lorne and Aayla clear the fast growing Parasitic Moss from the Longhorn. Aayla comes to the realisation that it grows on metalic surfaces and needs treating every four hours or so before it becomes too embedded.
Val spends the day building rapport with Tsubatchcark and find it likes wires and thin twists of metal that it can use for nest building. He manages to get it to accept food from him as well.
As dusk falls Picus has not returned. Lorne suggests leaving and forgoing half the pay. The others suggest they should at least wait until morning, and that is what the crew decides to do. They take the same watch pattern as the night before.
In the early morning several hours before dawn Jorus's watch is interrupted by the alarm he rigged. Checking the sensors he sees a single signal making it's way at a clip towards the ship. He notices the signal is metal.
He sees MN-FR1 outside in the lights of the Longhorn. He goes to the boarding ramp to let the droid aboard. Lowing the ramp and heading out to meet MN Jorus is confronted immediately with frantic panicked beeping. Jorus is soon joined by the rest of the crew. The droid franticly pulls at the leg of Aayla's flight suit with a manipulator arm as if it wants to be followed. Aayla is able to work out what the droid is beeping about: "What's that MN-FR1, your master was brutally mauled by a giant beast?". Jorus immediately goes to get his medpack and gear to head into the Jungle.
